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Chapter 3

Enter the Justice Girl!

Four days went by without any sight from Zolf or Rodimus.  Lina did make sure to keep her ears out for any mention of about the pair from passing conversations among her costumers, but there proved to be none.  Zelgadis made himself right at home in Lina's shop, by helping himself to her collection of spellbooks and texts.  At least, that's what he was doing until Lina gave him the task of counting the inventory.  Lina refused to let the man become a freeloader without earning his keep.  However, Zelgadis was glad to have something to do inside.  He never ventured outside and he stayed out of view from the main window to reduce the risk of him being spotted and then word reaching back to Zolf and Rodimus.

It astounded Lina that the nobleman did not get cabin fever.  Being forced to stay inside for so long would drive her crazy, yet he seemed persistent.  Then again, the fact that Lina was working on his predicament might have been his main motivation for being able to stay inside for such a long period.

On the morning of the sixth day, Lina chewed the tip of her pencil as stared at the pile of Zelgadis's notes and the notes she wrote herself.

Gourry set her cup of coffee next to her.  "How's it going?"

Lina growled.  "At a snail's pace, since I don't even know where to start."  She looked up the noblemen, who dunk a small spoon of sugar into his tea.  "It would be a lot more helpful if I could have actual blueprints for this thing."

Zelgadis poured the cream into his cup.  "That was impossible for me to do.  Rezo always keeps his blueprints for his inventions hidden, and he keeps that information to himself.  He doesn't even tell his assistant Eris.  It's his way of ensuring that his research on technology is never public knowledge.  He's rather paranoid in that regard."  He sipped his tea, easing back into his chair.  "The best I could do was to make copies of the notes he made."

Lina tapped her pencil on the paper fiercely.  "That's all well and good, but it's rather hard for me to fix something when I don't have a clue on how its' suppose to work."  She poked her pencil at the nobleman's chest.  "And it's ten times harder when I can't even hold the damn thing in my hands since it's attached to your body."

Gourry nodded.  "You could always operate, but I'm not sure I could trust you with a scalpel."

Zelgadis shivered.  "Thanks, a lot Gourry.  Now, I'm going to have nightmares."

The pencil snapped between Lina's fingers.

Gourry ignored the death glare and continued.  "You keep looking at all the spellbooks and junk?  Maybe it would be easier if you focused on the mechanical part of Zelgadis's heart?"

Lina shook her head.  "That could be rather risky.  We don't know exactly what kind of spells Rezo cast on it, or which part of it he attached the spells to.  It would be safer to do some research on the magic half, before I tackle the mechanical part.  For all I know, poking at a single screw with a wrench could blow Zelgadis up."

"I don't need any more fuel for nightmares," Zelgadis muttered.

With a brisk sigh, she stood up.  "I'm getting no where, I'm going to the library."

Gourry raised an eyebrow.  "Why?  Your basement is a small library."

Lina grabbed an apple from the counter.  "Yeah, but most of my spellbooks are mainly about black magic and shamanism.  I don't have much on white magic."

Zelgadis nodded.  "White magic does seem the most plausible for Rezo to use on my heart, since it requires having to attach it to my body and it was originally his specialty."

"Exactly, so I'm going to head to the library.  Zelgadis, since if you can finish the inventory on the spare parts.  Gourry, I'll leave the shop to you."

"Are you sure?  Won't that tip people off that you can use magic if you go researching it?"

"Just because a person reads about magic, doesn't mean they also practice or actually use magic."  Lina responded snagging another apple.  "There are mechanics that read a bit about magic, but it's just so they'll have more fuel to argue and complain about."  She winked at him.  "So, I'll be fine.  Just don't make a mess of the shop while I'm out."

"Come on, Lina, I only ever made one mess and that was an accident."

But the comment would go unanswered as Lina left and headed out onto the street.

The market square was relatively busy as Lina walked by.  It took years of practice and great skill to weave in and out among the crowd without bumping into a single person.  The square echoed with yells from the vendors and shouts from the costumers.  Lina could barely hear herself breathe.  Then she swiftly turned to take the shortcut through the alleyway and noise drifted behind her.

Soon, the only sound she could hear were the patter of her own pair of feet against the street. It was a reassuring sound, on the other hand, having to hear another pair of feet join in the noise making behind her put Lina on full alert.  Without changing her pace, she glanced out of the corner of her eye.

Far behind her walked a lone figure, but he was too far off for Lina to see if he carried weapons.  "It's probably a mugger" Lina mused.  "But he must be a stupid one to do it in broad daylight."   She did not run nor did she turn around, for that would give full warning to the stranger that she was on to him. "I could use that new invention I made" Lina thought as her handed patter her front pocket.  "But there is a simpler way to handle this."

She calmly kept walking and turned to the corner on the right.  Sharply, Lina turned and brought out a wrench that she kept on herself for emergency repairs.  Silently, she heard the stranger starting to run.  The footsteps grew louder.  Lina raised her weapon.  The dark figure turned and Lina whacked him on the head.

The stranger landed face down in the dirt.  He groaned loudly as Lina savored her victory and placed her foot on top of his back.  "Nice try, but it will take a million years before a guy like you can mug Lina Inverse."

The stranger gave another groan, which cause Lina to glance down and notice for the first time her attacker was covered in fur, had point ears and a tail. She sweated a little.  "A beastman?  What's a beastman doing in Seyrune?"

"That is the least of your concern."

Lina whirled around and saw a whole group of more beastman.  A werewolf grinned and reached for his sword.  "I think your main concern should be your life."

She raised an eyebrow.  "Hang out with bandits do you?"

The wolfman blinked.  "What?"

"The line was rather cheesy, and I happen to know from personal experience that bandits tend to use clichés like that to death."  She yawned, for the added effect.  "So, I just thought you must hang around them a lot to use such unoriginal dialogue."

"I didn't know you hanged around bandits, Dilgear?" said one goatman who scratched his head.

Dilgear snarled at him, he looked like he would bite the goatman's head off.  "I don't you idiot!"  He turned back to Lina.  "You certainly have a mouth; we'll have to make sure we gag it when we take you hostage."

Lina grimaced and slowly put her had into her pocket.  Looks like she would have to use her new invention.  "And just why exactly do you need to take me hostage?"

"That information is top secret, but because I'm feeling nice I'll give you a hint," Dilgear smirked.  "Your friend happen to be in possession of a valuable object."

Lina frowned as her fingers grasped her weapon.  "Friends?" she muttered. Did he mean Zelgadis or Gourry?  She couldn't imagine Gourry having anything worth this much trouble, so he must be referring to Zelgadis.  "And I take it your plan is to kidnap me and then trade me for this object?"

"Oh, something like that," Dilgear grinned.  "But I can't say anymore than that."  He unsheathed his sword.  "So be a good girl and come along quietly."

"I was never much of a good girl!" Lina whipped out her large fork.

The wolfman paused.  "What is that?"

"A little weapon I made," Lina smirked.  It did look like a regular fork except for it being larger in size and it had a large dial on it.

Dilgear laughed.  "That little thing?"  He gestured the goatman to approach Lina with the rope he held.

Lina turned the dial as Dilgear continued to laugh.  "Oh, I'm so scared.  What do you plan to do? Poke our eyes out."

The goatman stepped towards her.  In one swift motion, Lina jabbed the tuning fork into the goatman's chest.  An electric shock jumped out.  The goatman yelled in pain while being electrocuted.  The air was reeking of burnt fur as the goatman twitched and fell to the ground.

Dilgear stared alarmed.

Lina spun the fork with her hands.  "I call it 'the creep fryer'.  It's a large fork that sends out an electric pulse.  It's a perfect little device for any lady to use when dealing with creeps or perverts.  No one would ever suspect a fork to be a weapon."

"That's a rather stupid idea," the goatman groaned from the ground.

"Who asked for your opinion?" Lina snapped, stomping her foot on the fallen beastman's hand.

Dilgear twitched.  "I underestimated you, but don't think we're giving up that easy."

Lina was about to say "Come and try" when suddenly a blob of green slime hit her hand, forcing her to drop her fork.

Before she could react or even wipe off the slim, she was grabbed from behind.  To add to the surprise, the person who had nabbed her was a fishman.

"I got her Dilgear!" the fishman nodded.

"Good work, Noonsa."  The werewolf grinned as he walked forward.  "Noonsa is the strongest fishman in his tribe-"

"And the most handsome," Noonsa added.

"Yeah, sure," Dilgear muttered, turning back to Lina.  "My point is you won't be able to break free of his hold so easily."

In an attempt to prove him wrong, she kicked and yelled to break free.  She even bite the fishman's arm, but the biggest reaction she got was a quiet "Ow."  Lina snarled.  Great!  She couldn't move her hands to cast spells.  She was helpless for the moment.  Plus, out of the creatures to be captured by, it was a fishman.  This couldn't be any more humiliating.

"Hey, bossman," yelled the wolfman who Lina recognized as the one she hit with her wrench earlier.  He rubbed his head as approached them.  "What if the girl is carrying the…um the thing?"

Dilgear blinked.  "Hmm…you have a point."  He looked over Lina's shoulder and stared directly at Lina's captor.  "Noonsa, strip and search her."

Lina gagged.  She lifted her leg in an attempt to kick Dilgear and was about to yell her protest, except another person beat her to it.

"NO WAY!" Noonsa cried. "That's just disgusting."

Lina stared amazed.  The fishman had a moral code?  Her luck was changing!

"It's gross enough that I have to hold her, but to see her naked," Noonsa shuddered.  "T-that's beyond vile."

Lina gapped.  Did she hear that right?  The she promptly glared at him.  She was the beautiful genius, who was being held hostage by a fishman, who only moments before shot green slime at her and HE was grossed out?!

"Moreover," Noonsa continued.  "Humans are known carriers of diseases.  What if I catch something and become as ugly as she is."

Lina's blood boiled over.  What did he think she was?  A RAT?!  He was going to pay for those remarks.  DEARLY!

"That's enough!" bellowed a new voice.  The entire group looked around them, but didn't see where the voice came from.

"Up here!"

They all looked up.  On top of the building, stood a girl who Lina guessed was around her own age.  The girl glared, threw a fist in the air and pointed with her other arm.  "As a champion of justice, I will not allow this crime to continue."

Letting loose a thunderous battle cry, she leapt off the building and landed on the street, face down.  She lay motionless.

The beastman stared unsure how to respond.  "Is she dead?" Noonsa asked.

As if answering the question, the girl jumped to her feet with red marks covering her face.  Lina also noticed her leg also appeared to be slightly crooked.

"As I was saying," the girl began again.  "I, Amelia, refuse to stand back and let you vile villains go through with your evil plans."

Dilgear groaned as she stepped forward.  "Look kid, I have a schedule to keep, so butt out."

Amelia ignored his glared and stared directly at Noonsa.  "I demand that you release the girl this instant."

Lina was sweating.  This girl was either brave or stupid.  Lina did appreciate the girl for trying to help, but she was going to be in over her head and Lina wasn't in any position to protect her.

Dilgear growled annoyed.  "Aren't you listening?"  The wolfman grabbed her shoulder.  "I said-"

"PASIFIST CRUSH!!"

Amelia punched Dilgear.  The wolfman flew backwards.  He headed straight for Noonsa and Lina.  The fishman let go of Lina and tried to run.  It proved too late.  Lina jumped away.  Dilgear slammed into Noonsa.  Together, they slammed into the wall.  The loud sound of the crash hurt Lina's ears.  The other beastmen stared in horror.

Amelia smiled and made a victory sign with her hand.  "That's what happens when you fight against justice!"

Lina stared, dumbfounded.  "Where on earth did you learn that?"

Amelia smiled proudly.  "That's a special move that my Daddy taught me to fight for justice with."

"What kind of a father would teach his daughter that?!" Lina wanted to asked, but she stopped herself as she noticed Dilgear climb out of the rubble with Noonsa wobbling in tow.

"I've had enough of this!"  He pointed his hand.  "I'm taking both you hostage just for the hell of it!"

Lina grabbed her electric fork.

Amelia smirked.  "With justice on our side, your evil plans will never-"

"DUCK!" Lina cried.

Startled the girl obeyed.  Lina lunched over her giving an electric jolt to the catman that tried to sneak up on Amelia.  The catman howled as fell to the ground twitching.

Amelia blinked.

Lina glared.  "Quit making speeches and keep your guard up!"

The small girl stared Lina in awe.  "That was cool!  Can you teach me to do that?!"

Lina groaned, but quickly remembered that they had to deal with the rest of the beastmen.  The group now had both girls surrounded.  "There's too many to take out one by one with 'the creep fryer'."  She thought.  "A spell or two could solve this, but that would expose me to the little 'hero' wanna be."

Speaking of her short term partner, Lina glanced to her.  Amelia was muttering under her breathe.  "Is she planning on another speech?"

Dilgear sneered.  "There's no escaping us now.  Give up!"

Amelia suddenly grabbed Lina's wrist.  "BOMB DI WIND!"

A gust of wind engulfed the area.  The beastman were tossed aside, caught like leaves in the wind.

Lina stared, with her mouth hanging open.  "She knows magic?!"

"Come on!" Amelia's demand brought Lina out of her shock.  The pair ran leaving the beastmen to moan and rubbed their sore heads and bodies.

They ran and didn't stop until they were a good distance away from their attackers.  Lina lost her grip on her electric fork and let it fall to the ground.  She leaned against the lamppost to catch her breathe.  "Thanks, *huff* but I didn't think you were a sorceress *huff*."

Amelia sat on the pavement.  "Well, I'm not actually a sorceress.  I'm a priestess at the Seyrune temple."

A cold wave washed over Lina.  A priestess?! HER?!  The girl had a cherub like face like any other normal girl, but minus that, there was no clue Amelia was a Seyrune priestess of white magic.  Her outfit consisted of mostly male clothing, a long sleeve shirt and pants.  It wasn't a very feminine looking outfit.  All the priestesses Lina had ever met were always told to wear their long robes or dresses when outside the temple in order to uphold the holy image. So, how could Amelia get away with it?

Lina only wore overalls when she was working, but except for that, she normally wore a dress otherwise Lina would be getting a few odd looks from her costumers.

Lina broke free of her thoughts.  "Anyway, thanks for the help."

"Not a problem," Amelia cheered standing up.  "It's part of being a champion of justice!"

"Right…" Lina muttered.

"Although, you were doing alright by yourself right up until that fishman grabbed you."  Amelia folded her hands.  "And the wrench was a nice touch."

Lina paused.  "Wait, you saw the whole thing?"

Amelia nodded.  "There was a nest of baby birds up there and I wanted to see how they were doing, but then I saw that beastman that tried to sneak up on you in the alley."

"Then why didn't you step in before they that fishman grabbed me?!" Lina hollered.  "Champion of justice my foot!"

"I was!" Amelia replied frantically.  "But then you whacked him with the wrench and when the group appeared you brought out that um…'deep fryer?'"

"Creep fryer."

"Right.  So, you see I was planning to help, but at that point you seemed to have it under control until that Noonsa grabbed you."

Lina frowned and sighed.  "Yeah, fine, whatever.  I'm too tired to care."

The girl leaned in closer.  "So, are you an inventor?"

Lina massaged her shoulders.  "I thought that was rather obvious."

Amelia's eyes brighten.  She suddenly had the expression cat who had discovered how to get tuna from a tin can.  "Do you think you could teach me-"

Lina raised her hand.  "Look, no offense, but I'm heading home."  She could tell the girl wanted to ask further, but she continued to walk off.  Lina already had a grouchy nobleman to deal with, and a jellyfish brain mechanic, she didn't need a justice freak to add to the list.  Lina waved a quick goodbye and started to head for home.

Lina was tempted to call a carriage for a ride home, but she decided to walk.  It would give her the time to collect her thoughts.  Theoretically, Lina could still head for the library, but Dilgear and his goons could still be hanging around there waiting for him.  Nothing went as planned this morning.

"So, much for the library," she thought as she dumped her hands into her pockets.  It's wasn't that huge of a deal, since she could just go tomorrow or the day after.  "That Dilgear is what I should be worried about right now."  Her first thought was that he was working with Zolf and Rodimus, but that didn't feel right.  Dilgear seemed more engrossed in getting a particular item, not a person.  "Although, that doesn't mean they aren't working together."  She entered the front door of the shop and walked to the back room.  "They could be working together, but each have their own goals.  It can't be a coincidence that both Dilgear and Zolf and Rodimus would appear in just days of each other.  Still, my gut is saying otherwise."

"You're back early," Zelgadis replied, glancing up from his book.  "I didn't expect you would be back until this evening."

Lina folded her arms as she came into the room.  She noticed Gourry was on his hands and knees, looking through a cupboard.  "Well, being attacked and almost kidnapped can change a person's plans."

Gourry bumped his head.  Rubbing his sore head, he exclaimed "You were kidnapped?!"

"Almost," Lina corrected.  "A bunch of beastmen try to jump me before I got to the library."

Zelgadis book his book down, frowning.  "Beastmen? In Seyrune?  Did they just want your money?"

Lina shook her head.  "That's the odd part, they didn't want anything from me," She narrowed her eyes.  "But they made it very clear they wanted something from one of you guys?"

"Us?" Gourry asked, wiping his hands on a cloth.  "Do you think they're working with Zolf and Rodimus?"

Lina shook her head.  "My gut is saying 'No'.  Zolf and Rodimus are after Zelgadis himself, but their leader Dilgear wanted to hold me hostage in exchange for a 'valuable' item one of you guys have."

Zegadis drummed his fingers.  "That doesn't make any sense.  I don't have anything that valuable.  The only things I have are the items I took from home to pay you, but I can't imagine anyone going to that much trouble to get their hands on them."

Lina nodded.  "That's what I thought, and we can agree Gourry doesn't have anything worth while to steal."

The mechanic toyed with the cloth in his hands, lost in his own little world.

"Gourry, are you listening?"

"What?  Oh, yeah, sorry."

Lina sighed and muttered "Jellyfish brain," before sitting down.  "In any case, we better keep our guard up.  The only item I can think of they would go this much trouble too would be Zel's mechanical heart, but how could they know about it?"  She pushed her chair back on its' legs.  "Plus, they made it sound like you could just hand it over, which really doesn't make much sense."

"Um..His mechanical what?"

Startled, Lina fell backwards in her chair.  She looked up, to see Amelia's confused face hovering above her.  "Miss Lina, are you alright?!"

Lina bolted upward and whirled around.  "Amelia, what are you doing here?!"

Amelia reached into her pocket.  "You dropped your creep fryer so I came to give it back to you.  I didn't mean to ease drop, but when there was nobody up front and I heard voices coming from back here."

Lina gulped.  "How much did you hear?"

Amelia pondered as she glanced up to the ceiling and folding her arms.  "Not much to make any sense.  What's a mechanical heart?"

"Oh, uh?" Lina stammered.  Think, Inverse!  Think!  Something she'll believe.   "It's a top secret cookie recipe!"  Lame!  Worse cover up ever!

"A cookie recipe?" Amelia replied, looking baffled.  "But-"

"Lina, who is this girl?" Gourry chimed in.

Lina sighed, thankful for the change of subject.  "This is Amelia, she helped me out when the beastmen attacked me."  She looked back to the girl.  "Amelia, these are my friends.  The blonde idiot over there is my worker Gourry, and the one brooding at the table is Zelgadis."

Amelia nodded and smiled.  "It's nice to meet you."  She turned to the nobleman.  "Are you one of Miss Lina's workers too?"

"Hardly," Zelgadis replied, getting up from his chair.  "I'm more of a client."  He frowned as he stared at her, stroking his chin.  "Have we met before?"

Amelia shook her head.  "I don't think so.  I'm rather good at remembering peoples' faces."

Zelgadis shook his head.  "No, I'm certain I've seen you somewhere before."  He quietly growled.  "It's going to keep nagging at me until I remember exactly where."

"You do that," Lina muttered, as she turned her attention back to Amelia.  "How did you find this place?  I know I wasn't followed."  She raised an eyebrow.  "And I don't recall ever telling you my name."

Amelia grinned.  "Oh, that was easy.  You're name and address was inscribed on your invention."

"…Oh, right.  Of course," Lina grumbled, feeling like an idiot.

Gourry titled his head.  "You personalize your inventions?"

She folded her arms and opened one eye at him.  "Of course, I put a lot of work into my inventions.  It's to ensure that if they're ever stolen no one can steal credit for them."

"With inventions like that, who would want to?"

"Um, as I was saying before," said Amelia.  "Miss Lina, I would like to ask something of you."

Lina sighed.  Wonderful, just what she needed.  "And what's that?"

Amelia's eyes brighten.  "Will you make me your student?!"

That caught Lina by surprise.  "My student?!  In what?!"

Zelgadis and Gourry both choked.

"Technology, machines, inventions, everything that involves your line of work," Amelia listed off.  "I've been trying to find someone who will teach me, but I haven't found any good capable teachers."  She threw a fist in the air.  "But after I saw your invention at work with your justice loving heart against those villains I knew instantly you were the right one!"

"You're kidding, right?" Zelgadis replied shocked, along with Gourry who appeared speechless.

Lina disregarded the comment.  "Why do you want to learn that stuff when you're a priestess?"

"She's a priestess?!" both boys exclaimed at the same time.

The boy's opinions were again unnoticed.  "It's to help my daddy."  Amelia's body shook with excitement.  "My father's dream is to make peace between the magic users and the revolutionaries.  In order to help him with his just cause I must learn about both sides in order to gain a better understanding, that will in the end promote justice and peace and-"

"Okay, I get it!" Lina snapped.  "Look, I appreciate, your enthusiasm, but I'm not taking on any students."

A determine look appeared on the girl's face.  "I can help you with your work."

"No."

"I can clean your shop."

"Look, I said-"

"I can pay you."

Lina slapped her hand on Amelia's shoulder.  "Welcome to Inverse University where you will gain a proper and high education in technology and machines."

Amelia hugged her.  "Thank you Miss Lina!  You won't regret it!"

"Wait!" Gourry grabbed Lina's hand.  "Excuse us, we need to talk," he said to Amelia as he pulled Lina to the front of the store.  When they were out of hearing range, the mechanic crossed his arms.  "Lina do you honestly think it's a good idea?"

"Sure it is," Lina instantly replied.  "It means extra money for me."

"Lina, be serious."  He leaned in close.  "Do you really want to drag another person into this mess?  We're in enough trouble as it is."

"Gourry, I'm not dragging Amelia into anything."  She brushed the hair out of her face.  "I'm just going to teach her the basics and that's it.  Nothing else, and then she's gone."  She leaned against the wall.  "And even if I did refuse, she seems to be the type to just keep pestering me until she gets what she wants.  So, it wouldn't make any difference.  At least if I say yes, we'll have better control of making sure she doesn't accidentally find out about Zelgadis's heart."

"But still-"

"Besides Gourry, I don't want the extra money for myself." Lina placed her hands on his shoulders.  "We're also going to need money to buy equipment and what other special tools we need to fix Zel's heart.  So, we could use the extra money."  She pulled her hands back and folded her arms across her chest.  "Zelgadis's only has enough to pay me; he doesn't have a lot of extra money for research.  So, unfortunately, it's going to have to come from my own pocket until he has actual finances again to pay me back."

The mechanic stilled appeared doubtful, but sighed.  "You're the boss, but if you ask me I think things are going to get more dangerous from here on out."

Lina bit her lip.  She couldn't deny it, since she had the same feeling in her gut.  It would be nice to think her gut was wrong for once.

Description
Chapter 3

Enter the Justice Girl!

Four days went by without any sight from Zolf or Rodimus.  Lina did make sure to keep her ears out for any mention of about the pair from passing conversations among her costumers, but there proved to be none.  Zelgadis made himself right at home in Lina's shop, by helping himself to her collection of spellbooks and texts.  At least, that's what he was doing until Lina gave him the task of counting the inventory.  Lina refused to let the man become a freeloader without earning his keep.  However, Zelgadis was glad to have something to do inside.  He never ventured outside and he stayed out of view from the main window to reduce the risk of him being spotted and then word reaching back to Zolf and Rodimus.

It astounded Lina that the nobleman did not get cabin fever.  Being forced to stay inside for so long would drive her crazy, yet he seemed persistent.  Then again, the fact that Lina was working on his predicament might have been his main motivation for being able to stay inside for such a long period.

On the morning of the sixth day, Lina chewed the tip of her pencil as stared at the pile of Zelgadis's notes and the notes she wrote herself.

Gourry set her cup of coffee next to her.  "How's it going?"

Lina growled.  "At a snail's pace, since I don't even know where to start."  She looked up the noblemen, who dunk a small spoon of sugar into his tea.  "It would be a lot more helpful if I could have actual blueprints for this thing."

Zelgadis poured the cream into his cup.  "That was impossible for me to do.  Rezo always keeps his blueprints for his inventions hidden, and he keeps that information to himself.  He doesn't even tell his assistant Eris.  It's his way of ensuring that his research on technology is never public knowledge.  He's rather paranoid in that regard."  He sipped his tea, easing back into his chair.  "The best I could do was to make copies of the notes he made."

Lina tapped her pencil on the paper fiercely.  "That's all well and good, but it's rather hard for me to fix something when I don't have a clue on how its' suppose to work."  She poked her pencil at the nobleman's chest.  "And it's ten times harder when I can't even hold the damn thing in my hands since it's attached to your body."

Gourry nodded.  "You could always operate, but I'm not sure I could trust you with a scalpel."

Zelgadis shivered.  "Thanks, a lot Gourry.  Now, I'm going to have nightmares."

The pencil snapped between Lina's fingers.

Gourry ignored the death glare and continued.  "You keep looking at all the spellbooks and junk?  Maybe it would be easier if you focused on the mechanical part of Zelgadis's heart?"

Lina shook her head.  "That could be rather risky.  We don't know exactly what kind of spells Rezo cast on it, or which part of it he attached the spells to.  It would be safer to do some research on the magic half, before I tackle the mechanical part.  For all I know, poking at a single screw with a wrench could blow Zelgadis up."

"I don't need any more fuel for nightmares," Zelgadis muttered.

With a brisk sigh, she stood up.  "I'm getting no where, I'm going to the library."

Gourry raised an eyebrow.  "Why?  Your basement is a small library."

Lina grabbed an apple from the counter.  "Yeah, but most of my spellbooks are mainly about black magic and shamanism.  I don't have much on white magic."

Zelgadis nodded.  "White magic does seem the most plausible for Rezo to use on my heart, since it requires having to attach it to my body and it was originally his specialty."

"Exactly, so I'm going to head to the library.  Zelgadis, since if you can finish the inventory on the spare parts.  Gourry, I'll leave the shop to you."

"Are you sure?  Won't that tip people off that you can use magic if you go researching it?"

"Just because a person reads about magic, doesn't mean they also practice or actually use magic."  Lina responded snagging another apple.  "There are mechanics that read a bit about magic, but it's just so they'll have more fuel to argue and complain about."  She winked at him.  "So, I'll be fine.  Just don't make a mess of the shop while I'm out."

"Come on, Lina, I only ever made one mess and that was an accident."

But the comment would go unanswered as Lina left and headed out onto the street.

The market square was relatively busy as Lina walked by.  It took years of practice and great skill to weave in and out among the crowd without bumping into a single person.  The square echoed with yells from the vendors and shouts from the costumers.  Lina could barely hear herself breathe.  Then she swiftly turned to take the shortcut through the alleyway and noise drifted behind her.

Soon, the only sound she could hear were the patter of her own pair of feet against the street. It was a reassuring sound, on the other hand, having to hear another pair of feet join in the noise making behind her put Lina on full alert.  Without changing her pace, she glanced out of the corner of her eye.

Far behind her walked a lone figure, but he was too far off for Lina to see if he carried weapons.  "It's probably a mugger" Lina mused.  "But he must be a stupid one to do it in broad daylight."   She did not run nor did she turn around, for that would give full warning to the stranger that she was on to him. "I could use that new invention I made" Lina thought as her handed patter her front pocket.  "But there is a simpler way to handle this."

She calmly kept walking and turned to the corner on the right.  Sharply, Lina turned and brought out a wrench that she kept on herself for emergency repairs.  Silently, she heard the stranger starting to run.  The footsteps grew louder.  Lina raised her weapon.  The dark figure turned and Lina whacked him on the head.

The stranger landed face down in the dirt.  He groaned loudly as Lina savored her victory and placed her foot on top of his back.  "Nice try, but it will take a million years before a guy like you can mug Lina Inverse."

The stranger gave another groan, which cause Lina to glance down and notice for the first time her attacker was covered in fur, had point ears and a tail. She sweated a little.  "A beastman?  What's a beastman doing in Seyrune?"

"That is the least of your concern."

Lina whirled around and saw a whole group of more beastman.  A werewolf grinned and reached for his sword.  "I think your main concern should be your life."

She raised an eyebrow.  "Hang out with bandits do you?"

The wolfman blinked.  "What?"

"The line was rather cheesy, and I happen to know from personal experience that bandits tend to use clichés like that to death."  She yawned, for the added effect.  "So, I just thought you must hang around them a lot to use such unoriginal dialogue."

"I didn't know you hanged around bandits, Dilgear?" said one goatman who scratched his head.

Dilgear snarled at him, he looked like he would bite the goatman's head off.  "I don't you idiot!"  He turned back to Lina.  "You certainly have a mouth; we'll have to make sure we gag it when we take you hostage."

Lina grimaced and slowly put her had into her pocket.  Looks like she would have to use her new invention.  "And just why exactly do you need to take me hostage?"

"That information is top secret, but because I'm feeling nice I'll give you a hint," Dilgear smirked.  "Your friend happen to be in possession of a valuable object."

Lina frowned as her fingers grasped her weapon.  "Friends?" she muttered. Did he mean Zelgadis or Gourry?  She couldn't imagine Gourry having anything worth this much trouble, so he must be referring to Zelgadis.  "And I take it your plan is to kidnap me and then trade me for this object?"

"Oh, something like that," Dilgear grinned.  "But I can't say anymore than that."  He unsheathed his sword.  "So be a good girl and come along quietly."

"I was never much of a good girl!" Lina whipped out her large fork.

The wolfman paused.  "What is that?"

"A little weapon I made," Lina smirked.  It did look like a regular fork except for it being larger in size and it had a large dial on it.

Dilgear laughed.  "That little thing?"  He gestured the goatman to approach Lina with the rope he held.

Lina turned the dial as Dilgear continued to laugh.  "Oh, I'm so scared.  What do you plan to do? Poke our eyes out."

The goatman stepped towards her.  In one swift motion, Lina jabbed the tuning fork into the goatman's chest.  An electric shock jumped out.  The goatman yelled in pain while being electrocuted.  The air was reeking of burnt fur as the goatman twitched and fell to the ground.

Dilgear stared alarmed.

Lina spun the fork with her hands.  "I call it 'the creep fryer'.  It's a large fork that sends out an electric pulse.  It's a perfect little device for any lady to use when dealing with creeps or perverts.  No one would ever suspect a fork to be a weapon."

"That's a rather stupid idea," the goatman groaned from the ground.

"Who asked for your opinion?" Lina snapped, stomping her foot on the fallen beastman's hand.

Dilgear twitched.  "I underestimated you, but don't think we're giving up that easy."

Lina was about to say "Come and try" when suddenly a blob of green slime hit her hand, forcing her to drop her fork.

Before she could react or even wipe off the slim, she was grabbed from behind.  To add to the surprise, the person who had nabbed her was a fishman.

"I got her Dilgear!" the fishman nodded.

"Good work, Noonsa."  The werewolf grinned as he walked forward.  "Noonsa is the strongest fishman in his tribe-"

"And the most handsome," Noonsa added.

"Yeah, sure," Dilgear muttered, turning back to Lina.  "My point is you won't be able to break free of his hold so easily."

In an attempt to prove him wrong, she kicked and yelled to break free.  She even bite the fishman's arm, but the biggest reaction she got was a quiet "Ow."  Lina snarled.  Great!  She couldn't move her hands to cast spells.  She was helpless for the moment.  Plus, out of the creatures to be captured by, it was a fishman.  This couldn't be any more humiliating.

"Hey, bossman," yelled the wolfman who Lina recognized as the one she hit with her wrench earlier.  He rubbed his head as approached them.  "What if the girl is carrying the…um the thing?"

Dilgear blinked.  "Hmm…you have a point."  He looked over Lina's shoulder and stared directly at Lina's captor.  "Noonsa, strip and search her."

Lina gagged.  She lifted her leg in an attempt to kick Dilgear and was about to yell her protest, except another person beat her to it.

"NO WAY!" Noonsa cried. "That's just disgusting."

Lina stared amazed.  The fishman had a moral code?  Her luck was changing!

"It's gross enough that I have to hold her, but to see her naked," Noonsa shuddered.  "T-that's beyond vile."

Lina gapped.  Did she hear that right?  The she promptly glared at him.  She was the beautiful genius, who was being held hostage by a fishman, who only moments before shot green slime at her and HE was grossed out?!

"Moreover," Noonsa continued.  "Humans are known carriers of diseases.  What if I catch something and become as ugly as she is."

Lina's blood boiled over.  What did he think she was?  A RAT?!  He was going to pay for those remarks.  DEARLY!

"That's enough!" bellowed a new voice.  The entire group looked around them, but didn't see where the voice came from.

"Up here!"

They all looked up.  On top of the building, stood a girl who Lina guessed was around her own age.  The girl glared, threw a fist in the air and pointed with her other arm.  "As a champion of justice, I will not allow this crime to continue."

Letting loose a thunderous battle cry, she leapt off the building and landed on the street, face down.  She lay motionless.

The beastman stared unsure how to respond.  "Is she dead?" Noonsa asked.

As if answering the question, the girl jumped to her feet with red marks covering her face.  Lina also noticed her leg also appeared to be slightly crooked.

"As I was saying," the girl began again.  "I, Amelia, refuse to stand back and let you vile villains go through with your evil plans."

Dilgear groaned as she stepped forward.  "Look kid, I have a schedule to keep, so butt out."

Amelia ignored his glared and stared directly at Noonsa.  "I demand that you release the girl this instant."

Lina was sweating.  This girl was either brave or stupid.  Lina did appreciate the girl for trying to help, but she was going to be in over her head and Lina wasn't in any position to protect her.

Dilgear growled annoyed.  "Aren't you listening?"  The wolfman grabbed her shoulder.  "I said-"

"PASIFIST CRUSH!!"

Amelia punched Dilgear.  The wolfman flew backwards.  He headed straight for Noonsa and Lina.  The fishman let go of Lina and tried to run.  It proved too late.  Lina jumped away.  Dilgear slammed into Noonsa.  Together, they slammed into the wall.  The loud sound of the crash hurt Lina's ears.  The other beastmen stared in horror.

Amelia smiled and made a victory sign with her hand.  "That's what happens when you fight against justice!"

Lina stared, dumbfounded.  "Where on earth did you learn that?"

Amelia smiled proudly.  "That's a special move that my Daddy taught me to fight for justice with."

"What kind of a father would teach his daughter that?!" Lina wanted to asked, but she stopped herself as she noticed Dilgear climb out of the rubble with Noonsa wobbling in tow.

"I've had enough of this!"  He pointed his hand.  "I'm taking both you hostage just for the hell of it!"

Lina grabbed her electric fork.

Amelia smirked.  "With justice on our side, your evil plans will never-"

"DUCK!" Lina cried.

Startled the girl obeyed.  Lina lunched over her giving an electric jolt to the catman that tried to sneak up on Amelia.  The catman howled as fell to the ground twitching.

Amelia blinked.

Lina glared.  "Quit making speeches and keep your guard up!"

The small girl stared Lina in awe.  "That was cool!  Can you teach me to do that?!"

Lina groaned, but quickly remembered that they had to deal with the rest of the beastmen.  The group now had both girls surrounded.  "There's too many to take out one by one with 'the creep fryer'."  She thought.  "A spell or two could solve this, but that would expose me to the little 'hero' wanna be."

Speaking of her short term partner, Lina glanced to her.  Amelia was muttering under her breathe.  "Is she planning on another speech?"

Dilgear sneered.  "There's no escaping us now.  Give up!"

Amelia suddenly grabbed Lina's wrist.  "BOMB DI WIND!"

A gust of wind engulfed the area.  The beastman were tossed aside, caught like leaves in the wind.

Lina stared, with her mouth hanging open.  "She knows magic?!"

"Come on!" Amelia's demand brought Lina out of her shock.  The pair ran leaving the beastmen to moan and rubbed their sore heads and bodies.

They ran and didn't stop until they were a good distance away from their attackers.  Lina lost her grip on her electric fork and let it fall to the ground.  She leaned against the lamppost to catch her breathe.  "Thanks, *huff* but I didn't think you were a sorceress *huff*."

Amelia sat on the pavement.  "Well, I'm not actually a sorceress.  I'm a priestess at the Seyrune temple."

A cold wave washed over Lina.  A priestess?! HER?!  The girl had a cherub like face like any other normal girl, but minus that, there was no clue Amelia was a Seyrune priestess of white magic.  Her outfit consisted of mostly male clothing, a long sleeve shirt and pants.  It wasn't a very feminine looking outfit.  All the priestesses Lina had ever met were always told to wear their long robes or dresses when outside the temple in order to uphold the holy image. So, how could Amelia get away with it?

Lina only wore overalls when she was working, but except for that, she normally wore a dress otherwise Lina would be getting a few odd looks from her costumers.

Lina broke free of her thoughts.  "Anyway, thanks for the help."

"Not a problem," Amelia cheered standing up.  "It's part of being a champion of justice!"

"Right…" Lina muttered.

"Although, you were doing alright by yourself right up until that fishman grabbed you."  Amelia folded her hands.  "And the wrench was a nice touch."

Lina paused.  "Wait, you saw the whole thing?"

Amelia nodded.  "There was a nest of baby birds up there and I wanted to see how they were doing, but then I saw that beastman that tried to sneak up on you in the alley."

"Then why didn't you step in before they that fishman grabbed me?!" Lina hollered.  "Champion of justice my foot!"

"I was!" Amelia replied frantically.  "But then you whacked him with the wrench and when the group appeared you brought out that um…'deep fryer?'"

"Creep fryer."

"Right.  So, you see I was planning to help, but at that point you seemed to have it under control until that Noonsa grabbed you."

Lina frowned and sighed.  "Yeah, fine, whatever.  I'm too tired to care."

The girl leaned in closer.  "So, are you an inventor?"

Lina massaged her shoulders.  "I thought that was rather obvious."

Amelia's eyes brighten.  She suddenly had the expression cat who had discovered how to get tuna from a tin can.  "Do you think you could teach me-"

Lina raised her hand.  "Look, no offense, but I'm heading home."  She could tell the girl wanted to ask further, but she continued to walk off.  Lina already had a grouchy nobleman to deal with, and a jellyfish brain mechanic, she didn't need a justice freak to add to the list.  Lina waved a quick goodbye and started to head for home.

Lina was tempted to call a carriage for a ride home, but she decided to walk.  It would give her the time to collect her thoughts.  Theoretically, Lina could still head for the library, but Dilgear and his goons could still be hanging around there waiting for him.  Nothing went as planned this morning.

"So, much for the library," she thought as she dumped her hands into her pockets.  It's wasn't that huge of a deal, since she could just go tomorrow or the day after.  "That Dilgear is what I should be worried about right now."  Her first thought was that he was working with Zolf and Rodimus, but that didn't feel right.  Dilgear seemed more engrossed in getting a particular item, not a person.  "Although, that doesn't mean they aren't working together."  She entered the front door of the shop and walked to the back room.  "They could be working together, but each have their own goals.  It can't be a coincidence that both Dilgear and Zolf and Rodimus would appear in just days of each other.  Still, my gut is saying otherwise."

"You're back early," Zelgadis replied, glancing up from his book.  "I didn't expect you would be back until this evening."

Lina folded her arms as she came into the room.  She noticed Gourry was on his hands and knees, looking through a cupboard.  "Well, being attacked and almost kidnapped can change a person's plans."

Gourry bumped his head.  Rubbing his sore head, he exclaimed "You were kidnapped?!"

"Almost," Lina corrected.  "A bunch of beastmen try to jump me before I got to the library."

Zelgadis book his book down, frowning.  "Beastmen? In Seyrune?  Did they just want your money?"

Lina shook her head.  "That's the odd part, they didn't want anything from me," She narrowed her eyes.  "But they made it very clear they wanted something from one of you guys?"

"Us?" Gourry asked, wiping his hands on a cloth.  "Do you think they're working with Zolf and Rodimus?"

Lina shook her head.  "My gut is saying 'No'.  Zolf and Rodimus are after Zelgadis himself, but their leader Dilgear wanted to hold me hostage in exchange for a 'valuable' item one of you guys have."

Zegadis drummed his fingers.  "That doesn't make any sense.  I don't have anything that valuable.  The only things I have are the items I took from home to pay you, but I can't imagine anyone going to that much trouble to get their hands on them."

Lina nodded.  "That's what I thought, and we can agree Gourry doesn't have anything worth while to steal."

The mechanic toyed with the cloth in his hands, lost in his own little world.

"Gourry, are you listening?"

"What?  Oh, yeah, sorry."

Lina sighed and muttered "Jellyfish brain," before sitting down.  "In any case, we better keep our guard up.  The only item I can think of they would go this much trouble too would be Zel's mechanical heart, but how could they know about it?"  She pushed her chair back on its' legs.  "Plus, they made it sound like you could just hand it over, which really doesn't make much sense."

"Um..His mechanical what?"

Startled, Lina fell backwards in her chair.  She looked up, to see Amelia's confused face hovering above her.  "Miss Lina, are you alright?!"

Lina bolted upward and whirled around.  "Amelia, what are you doing here?!"

Amelia reached into her pocket.  "You dropped your creep fryer so I came to give it back to you.  I didn't mean to ease drop, but when there was nobody up front and I heard voices coming from back here."

Lina gulped.  "How much did you hear?"

Amelia pondered as she glanced up to the ceiling and folding her arms.  "Not much to make any sense.  What's a mechanical heart?"

"Oh, uh?" Lina stammered.  Think, Inverse!  Think!  Something she'll believe.   "It's a top secret cookie recipe!"  Lame!  Worse cover up ever!

"A cookie recipe?" Amelia replied, looking baffled.  "But-"

"Lina, who is this girl?" Gourry chimed in.

Lina sighed, thankful for the change of subject.  "This is Amelia, she helped me out when the beastmen attacked me."  She looked back to the girl.  "Amelia, these are my friends.  The blonde idiot over there is my worker Gourry, and the one brooding at the table is Zelgadis."

Amelia nodded and smiled.  "It's nice to meet you."  She turned to the nobleman.  "Are you one of Miss Lina's workers too?"

"Hardly," Zelgadis replied, getting up from his chair.  "I'm more of a client."  He frowned as he stared at her, stroking his chin.  "Have we met before?"

Amelia shook her head.  "I don't think so.  I'm rather good at remembering peoples' faces."

Zelgadis shook his head.  "No, I'm certain I've seen you somewhere before."  He quietly growled.  "It's going to keep nagging at me until I remember exactly where."

"You do that," Lina muttered, as she turned her attention back to Amelia.  "How did you find this place?  I know I wasn't followed."  She raised an eyebrow.  "And I don't recall ever telling you my name."

Amelia grinned.  "Oh, that was easy.  You're name and address was inscribed on your invention."

"…Oh, right.  Of course," Lina grumbled, feeling like an idiot.

Gourry titled his head.  "You personalize your inventions?"

She folded her arms and opened one eye at him.  "Of course, I put a lot of work into my inventions.  It's to ensure that if they're ever stolen no one can steal credit for them."

"With inventions like that, who would want to?"

"Um, as I was saying before," said Amelia.  "Miss Lina, I would like to ask something of you."

Lina sighed.  Wonderful, just what she needed.  "And what's that?"

Amelia's eyes brighten.  "Will you make me your student?!"

That caught Lina by surprise.  "My student?!  In what?!"

Zelgadis and Gourry both choked.

"Technology, machines, inventions, everything that involves your line of work," Amelia listed off.  "I've been trying to find someone who will teach me, but I haven't found any good capable teachers."  She threw a fist in the air.  "But after I saw your invention at work with your justice loving heart against those villains I knew instantly you were the right one!"

"You're kidding, right?" Zelgadis replied shocked, along with Gourry who appeared speechless.

Lina disregarded the comment.  "Why do you want to learn that stuff when you're a priestess?"

"She's a priestess?!" both boys exclaimed at the same time.

The boy's opinions were again unnoticed.  "It's to help my daddy."  Amelia's body shook with excitement.  "My father's dream is to make peace between the magic users and the revolutionaries.  In order to help him with his just cause I must learn about both sides in order to gain a better understanding, that will in the end promote justice and peace and-"

"Okay, I get it!" Lina snapped.  "Look, I appreciate, your enthusiasm, but I'm not taking on any students."

A determine look appeared on the girl's face.  "I can help you with your work."

"No."

"I can clean your shop."

"Look, I said-"

"I can pay you."

Lina slapped her hand on Amelia's shoulder.  "Welcome to Inverse University where you will gain a proper and high education in technology and machines."

Amelia hugged her.  "Thank you Miss Lina!  You won't regret it!"

"Wait!" Gourry grabbed Lina's hand.  "Excuse us, we need to talk," he said to Amelia as he pulled Lina to the front of the store.  When they were out of hearing range, the mechanic crossed his arms.  "Lina do you honestly think it's a good idea?"

"Sure it is," Lina instantly replied.  "It means extra money for me."

"Lina, be serious."  He leaned in close.  "Do you really want to drag another person into this mess?  We're in enough trouble as it is."

"Gourry, I'm not dragging Amelia into anything."  She brushed the hair out of her face.  "I'm just going to teach her the basics and that's it.  Nothing else, and then she's gone."  She leaned against the wall.  "And even if I did refuse, she seems to be the type to just keep pestering me until she gets what she wants.  So, it wouldn't make any difference.  At least if I say yes, we'll have better control of making sure she doesn't accidentally find out about Zelgadis's heart."

"But still-"

"Besides Gourry, I don't want the extra money for myself." Lina placed her hands on his shoulders.  "We're also going to need money to buy equipment and what other special tools we need to fix Zel's heart.  So, we could use the extra money."  She pulled her hands back and folded her arms across her chest.  "Zelgadis's only has enough to pay me; he doesn't have a lot of extra money for research.  So, unfortunately, it's going to have to come from my own pocket until he has actual finances again to pay me back."

The mechanic stilled appeared doubtful, but sighed.  "You're the boss, but if you ask me I think things are going to get more dangerous from here on out."

Lina bit her lip.  She couldn't deny it, since she had the same feeling in her gut.  It would be nice to think her gut was wrong for once.